Anna Bolger is a junior forward who brings back experience for Park Hill South.
Having to replace more than half of its starting lineup from a season ago, the Park Hill South girls’ soccer team will look a bit different than in years past.
With a strong 2022 senior class not returning, Park Hill South will look to its five most experienced players – all of which are juniors – for leadership. Laura Dittmer, Lilly Reuscher and Mackenzie Wright are all midfielders while Olivia Clemons and Susi Schulze are both forwards.
“We have some returning players who might be asked to play new positions, so that will be fun to see,” Park Hill South head soccer coach Jared Byrne said. “We have great leaders and cohesion on the team but that’s nothing new for our program.”
Although there are only five returning starters, there are 13 returning players – which include 11 juniors – who saw time on the soccer field last spring. Sophomore defenders Abby Harrison and Mya Quarles are the younger classmen that will bring back experience while seniors Brenna Overcast and Riley Propes, along with freshman Savannah Pittman, will look to contribute.
“As always, we will just focus on the process of improving and getting better. It’s a long season and that will give us plenty of time to figure out who we are and how we want to play. If we work together, we’ll have a successful season no matter what,” Byrne said.
In what will likely be an ever-changing lineup throughout the season, the Lady Panthers have high hopes as they have been one of the top squads in the metro area in recent memory. In the previous three seasons – negating the cancelled 2020 spring season – Park Hill South has posted an overall record of 43-18-1, including one district title and state quarterfinal appearance in 2021.
“We’re excited to get going; the girls have been working hard. The first few weeks are such a grind, but the girls will be ready to roll. There are always strong teams in the KC Metro Area, our conference is stacked, and our non-conference schedule doesn’t have any easy challenges either,” Byrne said.